- Would you get this over the iPad Pro 12.9?

HP has announced a new device to compete with Apple's iPad Pro range: the Chromebook x2. It has a 12.3-inch screen (the iPad Pro has a 12.9-inch screen), and it comes with a keyboard cover (which docks) and support for stylus input. The best feature, though? It's price tag. At $599 for the base configuration, which comes bundled with the keyboard cover and stylus, it's far cheaper than Apple's offering.

The iPad, on other hand, starts at $649 for the smaller tablet and no accessories. If you want the larger iPad Pro model, and you'll need to fork out $1,067 for the tablet, keyboard, and pen. That's a huge barrier for those of you who want a portable machine for work or school. The Chromebook x2 is a much more affordable option, plus it features a Core M3 processor from Intel’s Kaby Lake generation of chips.

You can get it with 4GB of RAM or 8GB of RAM, as well as 32GB of storage, a 2400 x 1600 display resolution, stereo speakers, a 5-megapixel front camera, a 13-megapixel rear camera, two USB-C ports, a Micro SD card slot, a headphone jack, and a battery that promises to go about 10.5 hours on a single change. It does weight a bit more than an iPad Pro, and it’s a smidge thicker. But it's not too noticeable.

HP has pitched this Chromebook and its keyboard as something that should feel like a clamshell laptop when the two are connected. And although we haven't seen the Chromebook x2 in person, it does remind us of the Google’s Pixelbook, which isn't detachable but can be used as a tablet or laptop. If you're not tied to iOS and don't mind the limitations of Chrome OS, this might be the machine for you.

HP will launch the Chromebook x2 in June 10. There's no word yet on UK pricing and availability, but we hope to get our hands on it soon, and we will let you know how it compares to what's available.